Reid Oliver was standing in the hallway of Oakdale Memorial Hospital. His boyfriend Luke Snyder was standing next to him, holding his hand. Together they looked around the waiting room and saw Bob Hughes and his wife Kim, comforting each other, waiting for news on the heart that their son Chris needed to survive. Next to them were Bob's grandson Casey and his fiancée Alison Stewart, talking and laughing, but also anxiously awaiting news of the heart. On the other side of the room stood Henry and Barbara Coleman, family friends and newlyweds. Dr. John Dixon was looking at Chris's chart by the nurses' station.
"Is it possible for people to look happy and anxious at the same time?" Luke asked.
"I don't know," Reid said slowly.
"What do you mean? I thought you knew everything about how the brain worked," Luke jested.
"I do," Reid said distractedly, as Bob's cell phone rang and everyone was suddenly quiet.
"What do you mean the heart's no longer available?" Bob said angrily into his phone. Kim gasped in horror. "Alright, Tom, thanks for trying."
"What happened?" Kim asked immediately.
"Some hotshot doctor at Bay City General decided that he wanted the heart for one of his patients and took it," Bob said.
"What does that mean for Chris?" Casey asked his grandfather.
"We have to wait for another heart," Bob said.
"We don't have time to wait for another heart, Bob," John said. He had walked over to hear the news. "Chris needs a heart within twenty-four hours or he'll die."
Kim sobbed into her husband's shoulder, Casey, Alison, Henry, and Barbara all unusually quiet.
Reid pulled his hand out of Luke's and went into the room where all the doctors kept their lab coats hanging. Luke followed him inside.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to go to Bay City and pick up that heart. Then I'm going to bring it back here and make sure it's put in Chris Hughes' chest where it belongs." Reid answered, hanging up his coat.
"Reid, wait."
"What?"
"I understand that you're used to getting whatever you want. But even you can't walk into some strange hospital, grab a donor heart, put in your cooler, and walk away."
"Watch me," Reid said, heading for the door.
"Reid!"
"What?" Reid said impatiently.
"I could kiss you for wanting to do this," Luke said, smiling. "But you can't. There's too many risks involved."
"You heard what Bob said. Some hotshot doctor stole Chris' heart like it's some kind of a chess piece."
"Reid," Luke sighed exasperatedly.
"This is Chris' heart. I'll be damned if I'm going to let some arrogant, self-proclaimed savior of mankind take it away."
"That's weird. I seem to remember another surgeon who was an arrogant, self-proclaimed savior of mankind," Luke retorted, smiling slightly.
Reid smirked, said, "Yeah. I wonder what happened to him?" and walked out the door.
Luke rushed after him. Only when they were in the hospital parking lot and at Reid's car was Luke able to catch up with his boyfriend.
"Reid! Wait!" Luke said, slightly breathlessly.
"Quit trying to stop me! I'm going," Reid said.
"I know you are!" Luke said, annoyed. "I'm going with you. Just to make sure you don't get arrested or anything. Is that okay?" Luke pouted.
Reid stared at him. It was against his better judgment to let Luke come with him, but he also knew that Luke would keep insisting until it was impossible for him not to succumb.
After a minute, Reid said, "Fine. But you have to let me do the talking."
"Whatever you say, Dr. Oliver," Luke said, smiling and mock-saluting Reid.
Reid shook his head and got in the driver's seat, Luke climbing into the passenger's seat.
When they were buckled and a music station settled on, Reid pulled out of the parking lot and set out for Bay City. They drove in silence, the music their only noise, for about fifteen minutes until Reid decided that he wanted to call the hospital to let them know that he was coming for the heart.
He grabbed his phone at the next traffic light and dialed the number.
"Hello? Yeah, I'm calling for a Doctor Walters," Reid said brusquely. Luke smiled thinking of the nurse on the other side of the line who was undoubtedly about to leak tears.
"Yeah, Dr. Walters. This is Doctor Oliver from Oakdale Memorial. You stole a heart that was meant for my patient. I wanted to inform you that I'm coming to take the heart and that I'm ten minutes away. If you dare to put it in your patient's chest I will make sure that the medical board has your license revoked. Got it?" and he hung up the phone.
Luke smirked.
"What?" Reid asked, a little harshly.
"Nothing," Luke said, "I think what you're doing for Chris and Bob is amazing, Reid. The Dr. Oliver I blackmailed never would have done it. Especially committing blackmail himself to get what he wants."
"Yeah. Well, I guess that's what love does to a person," Reid mumbled.
"What?" Luke asked, looking at Reid who was resolutely staring straight ahead of him, bringing the car to a halt in front of the barrier which blocked off the train tracks into Bay City when there was a train approaching.
"What?" Reid asked back, as the train came into view.
"What did you just say?" Luke asked again.
Reid looked at Luke. "I love you. There I said it."
"You love me?" Luke said softly, smiling.
"How many times are you going to make me say it?" Reid said, uncomfortable.
"Just once more. To make sure I heard you right," Luke said.
"I love you, Luke," Reid said, leaning over and kissing him.
Luke was smiling, his eyes still closed, when they broke apart.
"I meant what I told Noah, Reid," Luke said, as Reid crossed the train tracks, the train now gone and the barrier raised. "I love you, too."